chicagopotter wrote:They ship out of the same address. I've tried a couple of their teas. Really like the Top Leaf. Really don't like the Master's Roast.

The photos of the leaves look more like a 'country' style, rather than the more formal needle like rolling of most sench/gyokuro vendors. A bit roasted? Are the tastes similar to the typical sencha flavors or something else?

Chip wrote:I know they used to sell a lot of Guricha types which are more along the roasted or pan fired type green. Not sure anymore.

Chip,

Looking at many of their offerings, I saw none that were needle like as we are used to seeing with sencha and gyokuro teas that are offered by most of the vendors we know. Even needle like sencha that Yuuki-Cha sells can be roasted so that doesn't explain the look of the leaves. I'm wondering if it is a certain style of finished leaves more akin to Korean style green teas. In the videos, which are really good btw, the buyer talks about the American taste and the movement away from the traditional flavors of mainstream Japanese production. He specifically mentions he doesn't want 'grassy' types of tea. I will definitely try some of these teas in the future.

Good stuff, worth it. (even though post office charged me extra couple bucks to receive package when shipping was supposed to be free for orders +$30.)Don't expect the taste of den's guricha though. Much different.

Both monk choice, and top leaf, reminded me of a very weak version of Yuukicha's Gyokuro Gokou (for the 'earthiness' taste). Taste wise I enjoy what people call 'earthiness' but if your looking for strong fruit notes or sweet grassy vegetable goodness you won't find it in abundance here.

Teas have nice thicker body when compared to other senchas I have tried, and very very little bite. All three had good durability (though this might be attributed to me putting in more leaf since my scale is broke). Still... seems to me durability is good.

Looking forward to trying out their kabusencha, and kukicha sometime in the future.

hum...longer infusions are definitely worthwhile with the top leaf (and I imagine others in selection that are curly) Just went 2m 15, 1m 30 and so far I am enjoying them much more then say 1m 20 , 25 s

because these teas have so little bitterness it seems they do very well with longer infusions, deff picking up pleasant tastes that were not there with short brew

teaisme wrote:hum...longer infusions are definitely worthwhile with the top leaf (and I imagine others in selection that are curly) Just went 2m 15, 1m 30 and so far I am enjoying them much more then say 1m 20 , 25 s

because these teas have so little bitterness it seems they do very well with longer infusions, deff picking up pleasant tastes that were not there with short brew

I recently had the opportunity to try their top leaf, and slightly lower temperatures with longer infusions definitely had better results as per teaisme. Not quite the grassy green goodness of the traditional japanese taste but considered on its own and especially considering the price, definitely worth it! I'm generally dead set on the traditional taste, but even I enjoyed it!

teaisme wrote:I recently had the opportunity to try their top leaf, and slightly lower temperatures with longer infusions definitely had better results as per teaisme. Not quite the grassy green goodness of the traditional japanese taste but considered on its own and especially considering the price, definitely worth it! I'm generally dead set on the traditional taste, but even I enjoyed it!

I use 65 deg. for the Top Leaf, though my brews are short. It's a very flavourful tea -- not as good as the top ones from O-Cha, for example, but quite good nevertheless. (And certainly well worth the price!).